Warning for Trudeau on food security

Canada’s food producers and suppliers, including the aquaculture sector, are calling on prime minister Justin Trudeau to unleash the country’s great potential for feeding the country and the rest of the world.

In an open letter, signed by the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance among others , they said ongoing issues from Covid, the war in Ukraine, global supply chain problems and climate change shocks were creating higher prices and food shortages.

The letter continues: “… these shortages will disproportionately affect the poor. It is time for Canada to intensify food production to sustainably and affordably feed Canadians and the world.

“The current situation calls for a major renewed policy focus on optimising Canada’s food production and Canadian food producers and suppliers are calling on the Prime Minster and Cabinet to take critical, immediate action.

“The Government of Canada must make food security a key factor in government priorities, actions and decisions, ensuring no regulatory or political obstacles to maintaining current levels of food production, and where possible increasing food production of all types. In particular, we ask for two immediate actions.”

The government response should be interesting because the Trudeau administration wants to close down open pen fish farming in a key region of British Columbia, a key component of the country’s salmon farming sector.

The BC fish farmers have since successfully appealed the government proposals, but is still awaiting a detailed response on the court decision from Ottawa.

Meanwhile, the food producers say in their letter to Trudeau that the government must make food security a key priority, ensuring there are no regulatory or political obstacles to achieving that goal, and it must include a focus on supply chain resilience.